Zhang Suiping (left), an experienced Wuju Opera performer, teaches a primary school student opera in Wuyi county, Jinhua, Zhejiang province on June 4. [Photo/CFP]

The institute also attaches heavy importance to talent training. Since the late 1970s, there has been a training program targeting young people in the field, who form a tower of strength in the sustainable development of the traditional opera.

In September 2013, the Zhejiang Wuju Opera Art Institute took over the operation and management of the China Wuju Opera Theater in Jinhua. To better utilize the theater as a space for performances, the theater has introduced not only local troupes, but also troupes from other cities and countries.

In the future, the Zhejiang Wuju Opera Art Institute plans to integrate art resources around Zhejiang province to create more plays and expand the market. In addition, it will continue with Wuju Opera classes in schools, which the institute initiated in 2008, to help young generations learn more about the opera.